Technology can be used to achieve learning objectives although technology itself is not the primary ingredient in creating a course that meets educational objectives.
Teachers can use tools like the Pedagogy First tool created by Grand Canyon University's Center for Innovation in Research in Teaching to help search and select technologies relevant to their course objectives. Teachers can also ask questions with the assistance of briefs (like those provided by EDUCAUSE) that summarize emerging technologies such as: What is it? How does it work? Who’s doing it? Why is it significant? What are the downsides? Where is it going? What are the implications for higher education?
Technology aligned to specific learning goals can then be used to:
- create learning materials to accommodate visually/hearing impaired students and increase accessibility
- foster social learning
- help students find study groups participate in group and private messaging and receive institutional announcements
- monitor students’ participation and provide facilitation and feedback as needed
- create digital resources to design and deliver instructional content
- create blended content that may help students develop mental representations reduce their cognitive load and test their understanding of content
- create online modules with simulations or new ways of visualizing content
- prompt students via text message to set learning goals aligned with course rubrics
- foster help-seeking with online resources and tutoring supports
- help students plan and manage their time with to-do lists task reminders embedded in calendars or timeline visualizations
- help students self-monitor their learning with prompts (or nudges) that encourage them to organize their thinking while learning (Sullivan 2016)